Why Nepotism is Primitively Human?
Last year, the word ‘Nepotism in Bollywood’ was searched 63,000 times per month which roughly translates to 1.5 times per minute . Largely contributed by SSR case and media feeding frenzy. But why just Film Industry? Isn’t Nepotism exists in every field ? In ‘Politics’, in ‘Family Business’ , in ‘Legal Industry’ in ‘Government Jobs’ . Let’s take a deep dive .
Nepotism is defined by the ‘practice among those with power of favouring relatives or friends by giving them jobs’. Often it is argued on behalf of talent. By definition, A much less talented person is rewarded with a role deserved by a higher talented person. On paper, its absolutely looks unfair, but in reality there are much complexities involved.
Let’s understand by example. Often when a person enters a new industry (Let’s name him Abigail ) , he faces a lot of failures and rejections. But Abigail doesn’t give up, he slowly builds up his reputation. He is helped by people who know him by mutual contacts. Since Abigail is new, often people take a leap of faith on him and give him chance. Abigail capitalises on those chances and find his own version of success through his hard work, perseverance and determination. He stays in contact with people who gave him chances as they had helped him in struggling times. Now Abigail is rich and famous. Now, He also give opportunities to other people to whom he knows by mutual contacts.
The Abigail story happens in every industry. In Politics , leaders trust newcomers with mutual contacts (often other leaders relatives). In Family Business, a father doesn’t want a son to go through the same ordeal he has gone through. In exchange, the son gives him the loyalty and the extra effort needed to run the business. No employee would do that without financial incentive. In short , the innate human desire to help the person who are close to us is quintessential. In tough times, it is the family and relatives who are by your side, not any stranger or client.
Conclusively, Nepotism is very natural to humans as we are social and connection oriented society. Even LinkedIn business model is defined by ‘connections’. Fighting nepotism is like fighting our inherent quality of bonding in human behaviour. Nepotism exists in every industry, just in different shades and gradients. Nepotism is much criticized, much practiced and little understood.
To successfully fight it, it will take more than a moral stance. Perhaps more than a ‘Koffee’.
Adios.
